Dave Mustaine in high gear with Megadeth

Heavy-metal veteran from La Mesa more active than ever

Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine (second from left) is one of the few heavy metal musicians who is staunchly conservative when it comes to politics. The La Mesa native has yet to formally endorse a G.O.P. presidential candidate, but he has spoken favorably of Rick Santorum.

Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine (second from left) is one of the few heavy metal musicians who is staunchly conservative when it comes to politics. The La Mesa native has yet to formally endorse a G.O.P. presidential candidate, but he has spoken favorably of Rick Santorum.

Trick or treat! After turning 50 on Sept. 13, Megadeth founder and leader Dave Mustaine is gearing up for a very active fall and winter, starting on Halloween night.

The La Mesa native and current area resident will celebrate the Nov. 1 release of Megadeth's new album, "Th1rt3en," with a televised Oct. 31 performance on the outdoor stage at the "Jimmy Kimmel Show" in Hollywood. This will be followed by the first installment of the pioneering thrash-metal band's Gigantour since 2008.

The 2011 edition of Gigantour will zig, zag and zig again through eight Latin American countries, starting with Nov. 9 and 10 shows in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The tour finds Megadeth headlining an international lineup that features England's Motorhead, Denmark's Volbeat and Italy's Lacuna Coil.

The Gigantour concludes Dec. 1 in Costa Rica. The itinerary also includes concerts in Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay and Mexico (two shows in Mexico City and one in Monterrey are already sold-out). However, Nov. 11 is a travel day for Megadeth, the band Mustaine formed in 1983 (after being unceremoniously fired from his previous group, Metallica).

By coincidence, Nov. 11 is also the day VH1 will celebrate National Metal Day, an event that has nothing to do with surging prices for commodities. Instead, VH1 will debut "Behind The Music Remastered: Megadeth," which will air Nov. 11 at 9 p.m.

"Remastered" will, VH1 promises, include updated footage regarding: "Mustaine's crippling hand injury (which threatens the band's survival), a painful lawsuit and more walk-outs and throw-outs of band members." (As of August, 2009, when Megadeth performed here at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, the band had seen at least 18 musicians pass through its ranks).

Mustaine's autobiography, "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir" (HarperCollins), was published as a hardcover book last year and made the New York Times' best-seller list. The paperback edition, which was published in August, features a new chapter. Megadeth currently has no U.S. tour dates scheduled, although a tour next year would seem like a good proposition, especially on the heels of the band's new album.